Column like I see them 




Almost two weeks into this semester and it seems things have settled in. Teachers are remembering student names while students still forget where class even is. For freshmen, the shock of a hectic environment has settled and seniors force themselves to stay interested. Ah yes, the simple joys of higher education.

Two weeks into my final year and I continue my quest to try something different for a week. Last issue, I went without video games for the better part of five days and made it through with flying colors. Or should I say, lack thereof. I went with something much harder this week; something that actually took a little effort on my park. I went a whole week of drinking just water.

Like many Americans, I enjoy a wide array of drinks, most of which are light on the healthy and heavy on the sinful. My favorite guilty pleasure would have to be Coke. Whether at a picnic, party or kicking back, it's easy to forget what you're actually putting into your body when it comes to drinks.

As of late, I have been strictly a Diet Coke drinker but on those hot mid-summer nights, it's hard to pass up something loaded with sugar. How typically American of me, right? Since arriving at Fredonia this year, I said goodbye to anything with added sugar and decided to go with calorie free drinks.

Starting last week I began a strict water regiment, one of which I began for this column and partly due to my over consumption of the carbonated kind. I stocked up on the H20 and skipped the cola aisle at the grocery store. I figured if I could get over the hump and avoid a bubbly craving, I could use the momentum as a spring board for a variety of new healthy alternatives.

The problem with giving up sugary drinks, which includes more than just cola, is the drug-like feel it has on people. Like cigarettes, the sugar content in most drinks becomes an addiction. Many aren't aware the hold sugar may have on them and it is evident by the rapid health problems in America.

Harvard University studied the growing trend of health-related illness in comparison to the growing popularity of sugary drinks, most common being soft drinks. According to the Harvard School of Health, soft drink makers produce 10.5 billion gallons of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit juices a year. That ends up averaging one 12-ounce can per person, per day for a year in the United States.

An average can of cola is 150 calories, all of which comes from sugar. High fructose corn syrup is the most commonly used ingredient in sugar drinks and, according to the Harvard study, roughly equates to 10 teaspoons of table sugar in a typical can.

A day into my water-only binge and I am not fazed in the slightest. I drink water on a very regular basis, especially being in school and constantly on the go. What differs this time around is that I didn't consume anything else along the way. There are times in the past where grabbing anything off the shelf wouldn't cause me to think twice. I had to remind myself on a few occasions that water was my only highway companion.

There were times, however, I would have a mini craving for something with a little sugar in it. While this may have been a sign of pathetic weakness on my part, a friend pointed out it may actually have been from sugar withdrawal. I hated to think this could be a possibility because of the logic behind it. How can someone go through sugar withdrawal unless they are a large consumer of the product? I know I do indulge on occasion but to that extent? Nonetheless, I push on with my water induced state.

According to the same Harvard study, America has seen a dramatic rise in the number of "overweight" individuals. These numbers are created by taking a person's height and weight which are used to calculate a Body Mass Index, or BMI. The number of overweight individuals has steadily risen from 44 percent in the early 80's to well over 66 percent today.

According to the New York State Department of Health, obesity is the second leading cause of death in America, just behind tobacco use. To aid individuals with weight issues costs New York State $7.6 billion a year. This includes hospital expenditures such as treating heart attacks, high blood pressure and strokes, all of which are direct results from careless lifestyles. While I may seem to be preaching at the moment, it is hard to ignore the facts in which a high sugar diet may result.

A few days into it, I started to notice a few differences. I began to feel more energetic in the morning and it typically lasted well into the afternoon. I also didn't feel like I was going to crash by mid afternoon, something I was used to over the summer when I would drink anything I could get my hands on. Overall, I am satisfied with the results I have seen.

I find it was best to fill my environmentally friendly water bottle in the morning with cold water and head to school. Instead of buying water throughout the day to stay full, I would simply fill up at any water fountain. While this may sound downright ridiculous, too many students are wasting money buying bottled water at school. Utilize those drinking fountains and buy yourself a reusable bottle.

I ended the week with a true sense of accomplishment. I was successfully able to avoid any sugary drink and stay on my water only regiment. I found that staying hydrated with water kept me cool in this relentless heat we've had. I also noticed I was more energetic more often and I crashed less in the afternoon after a long day at school.

While not all will find this to be the most interesting topic ever written on paper, I cannot help but think some may find it in them to give up their energy drinks and coffee for a day and go for some water. After all, it is the most abundant element on Earth.  

Note to self:

• Teachers who don't require textbooks should automatically be given teaching distinction awards.
• Find radio from neighbors below and destroy it Terminator style.
• Students who text all class long and fail to understand why they just completely bombed their first test make me smile
• People should be drug tested before they can collect welfare or unemployment. This is obvious and is puzzling that it's still making news.